Background: As expected, right around midnight early Sunday morning, winds across New Jersey picked up significantly. (As you may have noticed in central and southern New Jersey, the wind arrived with some powerful thunderstorms too.) Sustained winds have been out of the west-northwest at about 20 to 30 mph. The wind gusts are the big problem - occasionally reaching 50 to 60 mph overnight across the Garden State. (Top wind gust as of this writing was 60 mph at Miller Air Park, Berkeley Twp, Ocean Co.)

Timeline: According to the latest forecast model data, the fierce wind will continue to blow through early afternoon Sunday. Beyond 2 p.m. it will still be "windy" to "breezy", but the 60 mph wind gusts will have subsided. Winds will continue to calm down after sunset Sunday evening.

Current weather warnings, watches, and advisories. Orange: High Wind Warning.

High Wind Warning: Continues for all of New Jersey until Noon Sunday. The northeast corner of the state (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, and Union counties) will be under this warning until 2 p.m. A High Wind Warning is issued when sustained winds over 40 mph and/or wind gusts over 58 mph (60 knots) are likely to cause hazardous weather conditions that may lead to loss of life or property.

Impacts: Scattered power outages have been reported in parts of North, Central, and South Jersey. Downed trees may cause additional outages, in addition to blocking roads and causing property damage. Driving may be difficult all day Sunday, especially for high-profile vehicles such as trucks and buses.

Cold: The combination of strong winds and cold air is never a good one. With morning temperatures in the 30s, wind chills have fallen into the 20s across much of the Garden State. Bundling up is highly recommended.

Latest weather radar image. Blue: snow, Green: rain.

Snow: Scattered snow showers were reported in North Jersey Sunday morning - not a very welcome sight for the first weekend of April! While significant precipitation is not expected through the rest of Sunday, don't be surprised if you see a few flurries flying around.

Coastal Flooding: Flooding of tidal waterways is still not a big concern. This is a land breeze, pushing water away from the coast. In fact, a Low Water Advisory has been issued for the Delaware Bay. It's still not a pretty day for a swim in the ocean, however. Rough seas will continue up and down the Jersey Shore on Sunday, with 7 to 10 foot waves expected. A Storm Warning is in effect for the immediate coast, with a Hurricane Force Wind Warning posted well off-shore. (Friction effects over water are much lower than over land, so stronger winds are expected out at sea.)

There's not much to do now, other than sit back and ride out the wind. Remember, this is far more serious than your typical breezy or windy day. Please be extra careful in everything you do Sunday!